hi, anyone up ?an article on cyclone fani
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Cyclone Fani, which has been classified as an extremely severe cyclone (ESC), is the 10th such cyclone to hit India in May in past 52 years. Data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) show that the last time an extremely severe cyclone hit India in May was in 2004. The other years when such cyclones were witnessed in May are: 1968, 1976, 1979, 1982, 1997, 1999 and 2001.
Generally, extremely severe cyclones hit India's east coast in the post-monsoon season (October-December). IMD data on cyclones that hit India between 1965 and 2017 show that the country has weathered 39 extremely severe cyclones in these 52 years. Of these, nearly 60 per cent (23) were between October and December.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classifies cyclones on the basis of the maximum sustained surface wind speed (MSW) they generate.
READ | Cyclone Fani batters Odisha, Bengal, Bangladesh evacuates 5 lakh people
The cyclones are classified as severe (MSW of 48-63 knots), very severe (MSW of 64-89 knots), extremely severe (MSW of 90-119 knots) and super cyclonic storm (MSW of 120 knots or more). One knot is equal to 1.8 kmph.
WHAT MAKES CYCLONE FANI SPECIAL
Timing and strength are two factors that make Cyclone Fani, pronounced as Foni, different from most other tropical cyclones in this time of the year. Cyclone Fani started developing around April 25 and has made a landfall this morning in Odisha on the east coast.
Traversing for nearly 10 days over the sea allowed Fani to gather such strength that it is now classified as an extremely severe cyclone. Generally, tropical cyclones over the Bay of Bengal have a lifespan of four-seven days. But Cyclone Fani is different.
What makes Cyclone Fani special is its trajectory. Fani started developing around the Equator and moved upwards. The long journey allowed it to gather a lot of moisture and momentum, resulting in strong winds.
It has been observed that cyclones/hurricanes/tornados that spend a long time travelling over the sea are generally more powerful than the ones that hit the landmass within a few days.
The reason is that the longer duration at sea allows storms to gather more water and momentum and thus generate stronger winds.
Another aspect that makes Cyclone Fani special is its trajectory. Fani started developing around the Equator and moved upwards (see image below). It thus has had a much longer journey from its starting point to the point where it made a landfall, than other cyclones that generate in the Bay of Bengal.
Path of Cyclone Fani. It started as a depression very close to the Equator and moved northwards thereafter.
The IMD had first predicted that Cyclone Fani would make a landfall in Tamil Nadu but the forecast was updated as the cyclone altered its course. Had Cyclone Fani made its landfall in Tamil Nadu, it was possible that its strength would have been lower than its present strength because a landfall in Tamil Nadu would have meant that Fani would have covered a shorter distance over the sea.
Most cyclones that generate exclusively in the Bay of Bengal become relatively weaker by the time they reach the Indian landmass. However, the case with Cyclone Fani is different since it developed almost close to the Equator.